Missing them ...

I was doing so well. Keeping busy. Making plans. Watching movies. Visiting friends. Doing laundry. Eating chocolates.

But tonight?
I'm feeling a little lonely.
And missing my boys.

Drew called.
Twas so good to hear his voice. (Him and Max had run into Dylan, Derek and Brianna on the slopes, who invited them to spend New Year's Eve with them. My kids were excited to do so, but didn't think to ask for their address, so... If anyone reading this knows how I find out where the H's are staying in Sunpeaks, could you let me know? )

I'm watching Master and Commander and trying really hard to enjoy it. I started reading A Short History of Just About Everything but I fell asleep after three pages. I attempted a 'to do' list but got stumped after organize papers.

I met my dad and mom at Gracepoint this morning. Whoa, talk about a rocking worship band. Felt like I was at a Delirious concert. And their pastor, that crazy Scott? Wow, what a great speaker. Such a rich vocabulary and a way with words. A bi' of a storyteller, that one is ...
He spoke on looking back and looking forward. Good things to do this time of year, I 'spose.

We (dad, mom and I) went out for lunch afterwards and my dad spoke 3 words. Will I ever get used to this silent man?

(Master and Commander is turning out to be OK. )

I came home and frantically dumped all those papers I thought I was going to file yesterday into a huge rubbermaid container so that my kitchen wouldn't look like a file cabinet vomited in it. At 3 pm, Ken from Southwest Roofing came by to let me know about my roof.
S i g h .

Has anyone restored their roof? Does $6000 seem reasonable?
Blechhhk.
Apparently I have the largest roof in all of Murrayville. Yay me.

Can I list all the items I'd rather spend $6000 on?
An all inclusive holiday with my kids?
Another missions trip experience?
Down payment on a vehicle?
Laser surgery for my eyes?

No point daydreaming. My roof needs repairs. And the shakes need to be restored. My house is 13 - 15 years old. And this is normal. Sucky but normal.

(OK, Master and Commander is getting violent again. Blah.)

Oh, awhile ago I entered a photo in an online photo contest. Guess what? My photo won an editor's choice award. (Only 12% of the entries are recognized with this honor.)
The email says:
"This year we are offering a limited edition wall plaque commemorating your achievement as an Editor's Choice Award recipient. Each certificate is numbered, signed, and mounted on a solid maple plaque. This beautiful display piece truly honors your accomplishment!"

All I have to do is send in $79.95 to get my plaque.

Another email came a few days later, letting me know that my photo would be published in a fully colored editor's choice book. If I wanted a copy of the book (and they were sure I'd want to) I am to send $159.95.

Today I got another e-mail:
"As an Editor's Choice Award winner, we're sure you'll want to improve your craft and further your involvement in photography. There's no better way to do that than by joining the International Society of Photographers (ISP), the largest photography organization in the world."

The cost to join? $135. Which is a discounted price because, uh hum, I'm an editor's choice winner.

Can you smell scam?
(By the way, Master and Commander is now over. It was a good movie after all. Now I'm watching Calendar Girls. I'm so loving it. I want to do exercises on an English hillside. I want to have a pink lacey bra. I want to be part of a Woman's Institute. I want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up. )

Three things I'm thankful for:
1. Phone calls from 13 year old sons.
2. Movies about friendship. (Master and Commander was about male bonding, Calendar Girls about females.)
3. Milk. Cold milk.